Top 4 Reasons To Try Dog Agility Training With Your Pup

The first time I heard about dog agility training I thought that’s definitely not for me. . . especially my dog.

I had seen the shows flipping around on late night t.v., but I didn’t think it would ever be useful to my dog. Then I started doing some basic training with our dog and I started to see the benefits from our interaction.

If the world of our dogs had a national sport, it would possibly be agility. We know that the agility training is a full mind and body workout.

This is not just for you, but for your doggie too! As a pet owner, you are responsible in leading your dog through all the training and routines that they do.

One of the great things about this agility training is that dogs of all breeds may participate, provided that the course is being modified to their size and height. You can even make your own course. Do you think your dog may be a contender?

Give this article a read and learn more about agility training and get to know if your pooch could be meant for athletic excellence. Not just that, you will also get to know about the 4 reasons to try dog agility training with your pup. So sit back, relax, and enjoy!

What is Dog Agility Training?

For some dog owners, there is often a gap in between activities, which are a good exercise for dogs and sports, which are fun for the owner. Some good ways that help your dog burn some energy are walking and running.

Nevertheless, neither of the two offer much of a mental challenge for them. If you are looking for a new sport that may keep the both of you on your toes, then the dog agility training can be a good choice.

In reality, dog agility training involves a timed obstacle course that the dogs must complete, given they follow their owners’ commands. In this kind of training, there are no rewards or treats involved, just verbal cues for the dogs.

It is fast-paced and is very exciting to watch. Nonetheless, it is even more fun if you learn and practice it.

The agility training consists of a range of obstacles, often including pause tables, jumps, tunnels, seesaws, and weave poles, which the dogs must navigate off-restraint.

A lot of dog owners know that daily exercise is good for their pets, but the agility training combines exercise with a particular task and a challenge of learning new skills that can stimulate the brain of the dog.

One thing that people should know is that dog agility training is a fun and creative way to improve the fitness of both dogs and humans

Dog agility training has a lot of benefits, including the increase in the dogs’ and owners’ health, improved dog behavior, as well as a stronger bond between dogs and their owners.

You don’t need to be athletic or have any prior experience just to get started with the god agility training or to be great at it. Dogs of all breeds and ages and owners of all ages and capabilities may participate in this particular sport.

Is Agility Training Right for your Dog?

In order for you to know whether the agility training is a good activity for your dog, here’s a few things to think about. First, this particular training may be a bit hard for your pet’s joints, therefore, make sure that your pup is physically fit in order to participate.

You start training as early as the puppy stage, given that you begin with just the basics, just like getting them used to walk on various surfaces. Don’t attempt in teaching them how to jump at this point in time as doing it may cause damage to the joints.

Therefore, you must train your dog at the right age, so that the muscles and bones are already strong enough to do hard obstacles.

One more important thing is the temperament. If you expect to participate or compete in a certain group or training session, your dog will go along with some other dogs and trainers. Before getting into the competition, make certain that your dog or pup has a handle on the basic obedience commands and must be courteously outgoing. Of course, nobody likes an unsportsmanlike behavior.

Top 4 Reasons to Try Dog Agility Training with your Pup

Here are the best 4 reasons to try dog agility training with your pup:

1. Agility training helps strengthen the bond between you and your dog.

Dog agility training is set up for dogs and their owners. A dog cannot complete the obstacle course, unless its owner helps it.

Since the dog is reliant to that of the verbal and hand instructions from its owner to navigate the course, the trust in between them will increase. Helping your dog in passing through the agility training obstacles may help in reinforcing the basic obedience commands.

It also will improve the communication between owners and dogs, and in due course help in improving the dogs’ behavior even outside the agility course.

2. Agility training helps you get in shape.

As the owner, you will need to run alongside your dog, as well as assist him with crawling out of collapsed tunnels, waving through the poles, as well as soaring over the jumps. While you are running with your dog in completing the agility course, you will be treated to a healthy cardiovascular workout too.

3. Agility training is a great exercise for your dog.

Dog agility training is one of the greatest ways of getting rid of the excess energy your dog has. Running over a course, which involves passing through a lot of obstacles will really challenge your dog’s body and mind. Furthermore, involving your dog in agility training will also help in strengthening the muscles, keeping him fit, increasing the endurance, and improving the coordination.

4. Agility training may fulfill the natural instincts of your dog.

In general, dogs are hunters, running and chasing after a variety of prey. While in chase of food, dogs must follow the foxes and rabbits through a forest and navigate over various obstacles.

The natural instincts of the dogs involve jumping through fallen logs, squeezing through vegetation and bushes, and climbing up steep slopes.

Since the end goal is to catch the prey, time is very important. The faster the dog chases the prey, the better the chances of catching it.

Dog agility training is designed in order to mimic this kind of natural scenarios and fulfill the chasing and hunting desires of your dog.

Bottom line, dog agility has a lot of great benefits for you and your dog. However, if you want your dog to try this, always remember, do not force him to do a thing that they don’t want to do.

The same mantra applies to you. After all, this must be a fun-filled activity that the both of you must enjoy. We hope that we have been able to shed some light on all of the 4 reasons to try dog agility training with your pup. See you at the track!